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Activists criticise slow rollout of AIDS drugs

    JOHANNESBURG

    South African AIDS advocacy group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has criticised the government for its delay in providing free antiretroviral drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS.

    The cabinet approved a plan for a national HIV/AIDS treatment programme in November to provide the drugs at service points in every health district within one year, and in every local municipality within five years.

    However, the TAC said the rollout of free anti-AIDS drugs was currently only fully operational in the Western Cape province.

    TAC national secretary, Mark Heywood, was quoted by Reuters as saying: "It is unjustifiable, not acceptable, that in almost February 2004 [the provision of antiretroviral drugs] is not happening ... anywhere outside the Western Cape province."

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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